Mail pouch



Aug. 30, 1938. F. J. BINGHAM 2,128,689

MAIL POUCH Filed April 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. J. BINGHAM 2,128,689

MAIL POUCH Filed April 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938.

' 4,0 is believed to be a trade-mark name.

Patented Aug. 30, 1938 alzate@ l UNITED STATES PATENTQFF1QE l.

g Y, MAIL POUCH i Francis Joseph' Bingham, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 23, 1937,7Serial No. 138,650 Y 1 claim. (ci. 15o- 15) -One object of this inventionl isto provide a means'whereby a container, such as a mail sack, may be opened quickly, to facilitate the dumping of the contents of the sack, it being possible to 5 close the sack `as easily as it is opened. Another object Vof the invention -is-,to A,supply .novel means wherebythe Vsack may belocked or sealed in closed condition.

Fig. l is a side elevation of a sack wherein the l present improvements contemplated by this invention are embodied;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the sack;

Fig. 3 is an elevation in which the sack is viewed edgewise, parts being broken away and the bridge l being' in place;

Fig.v 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, the bridge having been removed and parts being separated;

Fig. 5 is a transverse longitudinal-section showing the inside of the sack and attendant parts;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation showing a modification; f

Fig. '1 is a topV plan showing another modification; l

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the sack depicted in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmental transverse section relating to the structure shown in Fig. 7.

.The numeral I marks a flexible container, such as .a mail sack. The sack I is provided at its mouth with a bead 2. Below the bead 2, the walls of the sack I have the usual grommets 3 for the reception of a draw-cord (not shown). The side walls ofthe sack I have inwardly projecting flaps 4 (Fig. 2) which are disposed a little way below the mouth of the sack (Fig. 5). A card holder 5 may be attached to one side wall of the sack (Fig. 2) above 4one of the flaps 4.

The aps 4 are held together by a separable fastener 6 of the zipper type. The word Zipper The construction of such an article is common and wellknown. The separable fastener 5 is controlled by a slide 1. A tongue 8 is hinged at9 to the slide l. The tongue 8 has an opening I0.

The opening I0 in the tongue 8 is adapted to receive a U-shaped keeper Il on a foot plate I2, held by securing elements I4 on the inside ofthe sack, above the flaps 4.

' The securing elements I4 hold a second foot plate I5 on the outside of the sack. The foot plate I5 has an outwardly projecting U-shaped keeper The numeral I1 marks an opening in a tongue I 8 hinged at I9 to a slide 20 controlling a separable fastener 2I of the zipper type. As lshown in Fig. l, the fastener 2l, extends the full length of one longitudinal edgeof the sack, across the bottom of the (sack, and upwardly along'the opposite longitudinaledge of the Vsack to a reenforcement 22 locatednear-to the lowerend ofthe 5 sack. If the slide 201s movedalong theedgefof the sack until the-slidereaches the reenforcement 22, the sack will be opened along one longitudinal edge, across its bottom, and part-way up the opposite longitudinal edge of the sack. If it is del0 sired that the sack be opened more completely than the construction of Fig. 1 makes possible, recourse may be had to the modication shown in Fig. 6. l

In Fig. 6, parts hereinbefore described have l5 been designated by numerals already used, with the suffix a, In this form of the invention, the reenforcement 22a, vand the adjacent end of the fastener Ela are disposed close to the bead 2a, of the sack. The structure depicted in Fig. 6 makes 20 it possible to open the sack throughout practically its entire length.

The numeral 23 marks a bridge adapted to straddle the upper edge of the sack I and preferably made of rigid metal. The bridge 23 includes 25 an arm 24 and an arm 25. The upper ends of the arms 24 and 25 are joined hingedly together, as shown at 26. At its lower end, the arm 25 terminates in a hook 21. Near to its lower end, thev arm'24 has an opening 28. 30

In practical operation, the mouth of the sack may be opened by moving the slide 1 of the fastener 6 to the right in Fig. 2. One longitudinal edge of the sack, the bottom of the sack, and part of the other longitudinal edge of the sack, or 35 practically all of said other longitudinal edge of the sack, may be opened by moving the slide 2B around to the reenforcement 22 of Fig. 1 or to the reenforcement 22a of Fig. 6. In order to close the sack, the slides 1 and 20, of course, are moved 40 toward the sack-corner until they assume the po- -vsitions shown precisely in Fig. 3 and approximately in Fig. 4. The tongue 8 of the slide 1 is turned up tothe position of Fig. 5, the keeper I I extending throughv the opening Ill of the tongue. 45

The tongue I8 is turned up from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 3, and the keeper I6 extends through the opening I1 of the tongue. The hook 21 on the arm 25 of the bridge 23 is inserted through the keeper I6, the tongue I8 be- 50 ing disposed between the yarm 25 and the foot plate I5. The tongue, then, cannot escape from the keeper I6, and the slide 20 cannot move downwardly and open the side and the bottom of the sack. The arm 24 of the bridge 23 is swung 55 down inside the sack, as shown in Fig. 5, until the keeper Il is received in the opening 28 of the arm 24 of the bridge, the tongue 8 of the slide l then being locatedbetween the arm 24 and the foot plate I2. The tongue 8 cannot escape from the keeper Il, and the slide 1 cannot move to the right in Fig. '7 and open the mouth of the sack. It is understood that a lock, seal or the like may be inserted through the keeper Il to prevent the arm 24 of thebridge 23 from becoming detached from the keeper. If the operator desires to have with the sufX b.

provement, and its use is strongly counselled'.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used, The modication consists in omitting the separable zipper fastener 2| of Fig. 1, the fastener 6b being retained. In this form of the invention, the mouth of the sack, only, is opened and closed, and the bridge 23 need not be used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

Ina device of the class described, a container having a side opening and an end mouth, the container being provided at a distance below the mouth with inwardly projecting flaps, a separable fastener carried by the inner portions of the flaps and constituting means for holding the flaps together, a separable fastener constituting Vmeans for closing the side opening, a keeper secured'to theinner surface of the container above the aps and having an opening, a keeper secured to the outer surface of the container and having an opening, `tongues pivoted to the slides and having openings receiving the keepers, and a bridge straddling the edge of the container at the mouth, the bridge comprising irstand second arms, the iirst arm having an opening, the opening in the first arm being shaped to receive either keeper, and the second arm being insertible through either keeper, whereby the bridge may be turned end for end, to dispose the first arm either inside the container or outside of the container. FRANCIS JOSEPH BINGHAM. 

